What is your favorite tree and why?

That's like asking me to choose a favorite child!  But I'm awful fond of our shagbark hickories out here.  They're everywhere, they're sturdy, they have good wood that makes a good campfire, and they provide lots of food and shelter for our wildlife.

I agree, too many great trees! For beauty, I love redbuds, Kwanzan Cherries, any kind of maple, Chionanthus virginicus, oh goodness there are too many! (Just add in any fluffy-looking tree. I'm addicted to fluffy-looking-and-feeling plants).

And it sounds kind of shallow, but also like some trees just for how their scientific names sound. Chionanthus is one, as is Tilia tomentosa and Liriodendron tulipifera. They just roll off the tongue!

My favorite has got to be Tree of Heaven. Ha! Just kidding. That might be the only tree I hate.

I have to say Sugar Maple. The syrup, the beautiful finished wood, the fall colors, the strong branches for climbing, and the shape. When someone says tree I think of a maple tree, someone says leaf and I think of a maple leaf.

It's a horrible invasive and impossible to get rid of but I've got to give some love to Chinese privet. Evergreen, unkillable, and yields unlimited goat fodder year-round (they eat the leaves and the bark), attracts huge blackbird swarms, and the wood makes decent stakes for trellises and good firewood. The white flowers are nice. And it's an excellent fast growing privacy hedge.

Hated it initially but I appreciate it now.

As for favorite, I love moringa. Pretty, vigorous and delicious greens right off the branch. I only wish it was cold hardier.